Kenya Boma Washed Station Cranberry Coffee BeansCoffee Bean Intro:

Pioneer Coffee: Kenya Cranberry Coffee Beans

Origin: Kericho Boma Cooperative, Kenya

Elevation: 1500-1950 meters

Variety: SL28 SL34 Batian

Grade: AA

Processing method: Washed

Flavor: Lemon, cranberry, caramel, green tea 

Boma Washed Processing Station

The Boma Washed Processing Station is located in Kericho Town in southwestern Kenya, near Mount Kenya, at an elevation of approximately 1700-1800 meters.

The drainage between the mountains is good, and the volcanic soil is rich in organic matter. The coffee trees planted in the red soil receive ample nutrients. The area enjoys cool temperatures year-round with high humidity, averaging between 22-28°C. The suitable temperature and higher altitude allow the coffee cherries to ripen slowly, resulting in more distinctive flavors.

The Boma Washed Processing Station is part of the Kipkellion Cooperative, one of the members of the Kenya Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), consisting of over 600 farmers. The predecessor of the Boma Cooperative was a plantation under British colonial rule, where a large number of coffee and tea trees were planted. The coffee fruit harvest season here generally falls between October and December each year. Individual families typically plant 250-300 coffee trees. During the harvest season, farmers from Kericho Town will deliver the coffee to this station for green bean processing.

Dry fermentation processing method

Unlike conventional washed processing, the Boma Cooperative places the coffee cherries in a water-draining container and ferments them directly for 18-24 hours without adding water. Every 6-8 hours during fermentation, the cherries are rinsed with water. After fermentation, the parchment coffee is transferred to a specially designed washing channel, where the beans are separated into different channels based on their density and weight. Lighter beans float to the top, while denser parchment beans are placed in clean water and soaked for 24 hours. After soaking, the coffee beans are drained on a coarse cloth and then transferred to traditional drying beds for sun drying. This process takes 12-20 days until the moisture content reaches 11-12%.

Because this processing method consumes a lot of water, the cooperative generally recycles the water to reduce waste and pollution.

Coffee Varieties

The disease-resistant new varieties SL28 and SL34, developed by the Scott Laboratories, have been widely planted since the 1930s.

SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group, with round and thick beans, and strong resistance to drought and pests. SL34 inherits genetic traits from Typica, with plant characteristics similar to Typica but much higher yield. The beans are slender and oval, appearing flatter when viewed from the side. In terms of flavor, SL34 has a richer taste and is cleaner and brighter.

Batian is a new variety launched by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) on September 8, 2010, with strong resistance to coffee berry disease and pests.

Through cupping, Pioneer Coffee found that this cranberry coffee has dried fruit and citrus dry aroma, with bright acidity reminiscent of cherry tomatoes, plums, and lemon, along with sweet notes of honey and berries. The overall mouthfeel is rich and well-balanced.